Petunia plant named ‘Glow Hot Pink’

ABSTRACT

A  petunia  cultivar particularly distinguished by very early flowering, large bright pink flowers and a compact plant habit is disclosed.

Genus and species: Petunia hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Glow Hot Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of petunia,botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Glow Hot Pink’. ‘Glow Hot Pink’ originated from ahybridization in May 2002 in Quedlinburg, Schsen-Anhalt, Germany. Thefemale parent was a petunia with pink flowers while the male parent wasa petunia with light lilac flowers.

The new cultivar was first propagated in summer of 2006 from motherstock and has been asexually reproduced through vegetative cuttings forfive generations. The present invention has been found to retain itsdistinctive characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Quedlinburg, Germany.

-   -   1. Large bright pink flowers;    -   2. Early flowering; and    -   3. Compact plant habit;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new petunia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich shows blooms and foliage of the plant in full color, the colorsshown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Glow Hot Pink’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inQuedlinburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Data was collected on plants in 12inch pots in October. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S.Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.)(4^(th) ed). Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossaryof Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge UniversityPress.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanical.—Petunia hybrida.        -   Common name.—Petunia.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—A pink-flowered petunia.        -   Male parent.—A light lilac-flowered petunia.-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Trailing.        -   Habit.—Upright, later trailing.        -   Height.—10.0 cm to 25.0 cm.        -   Width.—Radius: 25.0 cm to 40.0 cm. Diameter: 50.0 cm to 80.0            cm.        -   Propagation.—Terminal tip cuttings.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—10 to 12 weeks.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—4 to 5 weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine rooting system, with white to light            brown roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Average number (basal).—5 to 20.        -   Length of basal branches.—40.0 cm to 70.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm to 4.0 cm.        -   Diameter of branches.—Radius: 0.2 cm to 0.4 cm. Diameter:            0.4 cm to 0.8 cm.        -   Stem color.—RHS 141C (Green).        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Size.—Length: 3.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Width: 1.5 cm to 3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oval to longish, sometimes running spiky to the apex.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Spiky.        -   Base.—Longish running to the stem.        -   Immature leaf.—General color: RHS 137A (Dark green). Upper            surface: RHS 141C (Light green). Lower surface: RHS 139B            (Green).        -   Mature leaf.—General color: RHS 137A (Dark green). Upper            surface: RHS 141C (Light green). Lower surface: RHS 139B            (Green).        -   Texture.—Pubescent, soft, mucilaginous.        -   Venation.—Indistinct.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 139C (Light green). Lower            surface: RHS 139D (Light green).        -   Petioles.—Leaves nearly direct on the branches.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Shape.—Long tube.        -   Size.—Length: 4.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Radius: 0.1 cm to 0.3 cm.            Diameter: 0.3 cm to 0.6 cm.        -   Color of tight buds.—RHS 59A (Dark red-violet) with RHS 139B            (Green).        -   Immature flower color.—RHS 59A (Dark red-violet).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit (flowering season).—May to November.        -   Inflorescence type.—Single flowers.        -   Number of flowers per node.—1.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—about 7 days,            but very much dependent on irrigation, fertilizer and            temperature.        -   Fragrance.—Soft.        -   Pedicels.—Color: RHS 139B (Green). Length: 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm.            Diameter: Radius: 0.1 cm to 0.15 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to            0.3 cm. Texture: Pubescent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Shape.—Funnel shaped.        -   Size.—Diameter (flower face): Radius: 3.5 cm to 5.0 cm.            Diameter: 7.0 cm to 10.0 cm. Depth (total length of flower):            5.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Funnel: Length: 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm. Diameter            (at opening): Radius: 0.4 cm to 0.7 cm. Diameter: 0.8 cm to            1.4 cm. Outside texture: Pubescent. Outside color: RHS N66D            (Soft pink).        -   Mature flower.—Face/Margin Color: RHS 66B (Pink). Upper            surface: RHS 66A (Pink). Lower surface: RHS 145B (Light            yellow-green). Corolla tube: Shape of corolla: Open, funnel            shaped. Color inside (throat): RHS 85A (Violet veined).            Color outside: RHS 64C (Pink). Petals: Apex: Round. Base:            Fused. Margin: Entire. Waviness; Moderate. Lobation:            Moderately lobed. Texture: Smooth.        -   Calyx arrangement.—Symmetric.        -   Sepals.—Number: 5. Color: RHS 149D (Light yellow-green).            Length: 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm. Width: 0.3 cm to 0.7 cm. Shape:            Not fused, longish. Apex: Spiky. Base: Longish. Margin:            Entire. Texture: Pubescent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Cylindrical. Color: RHS 142B            (Green). Filament length: 0.8 cm to 1.5 cm. Filament            diameter: Radius: Less than 0.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 0.1            cm.        -   Anther.—Shape: Oval. Color: RHS 155A (Cream). Length: 0.2 cm            to 0.4 cm. Diameter: Radius: 0.1 cm to 0.15 cm. Diameter:            0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.        -   Pollen.—Color: RHS 155A (Cream). Amount: Abundant.        -   Pistils.—Number: 1. Length: 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter in            cm: Radius: Less than 0.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 0.1 cm.            Stigma: Color: RHS 142B (Green). Shape: Oval. Length: 0.1 cm            to 0.2 cm. Diameter: Radius: 0.1 cm to 0.15 cm. Diameter:            0.2 cm to 0.3 cm. Style: Color: RHS 149D (Light            yellow-green). Length: 1.4 cm to 2.3 cm. Diameter: Radius:            Less than 0.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 0.1 cm. Shape: Long            cylindrical.-   Seeds:    -   -   Color.—RHS 175A (Dark orange-brown).        -   Length.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—Radius: 0.1 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Round.-   Disease and insect resistance: Resistance and susceptibility is    typical of the species.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Glow Hot Pink’ differs from the female parent petunia plant in that thefemale parent has a more upright growth habit than ‘Glow Hot Pink’.

‘Glow Hot Pink’ differs from the male parent petunia plant in that themale parent has a light lilac flower color, while ‘Glow Hot Pink’ has apink flower color.

‘Glow Hot Pink’ differs from commercial petunia variety ‘SURFINIA CrazyPink’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,468 in that ‘Glow Hot Pink’ has a flowercolor of RHS 66A, while ‘SURFINIA Crazy Pink’ has a flower color of RHS67B.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of petunia plant as described and shownherein.